Purchased a PowerShot SX1 IS...

Fond as I am of the Energizer lithiums, be aware that Canon states that the camera is designed to operate on alkalines or NiMH. In some models, they even actively state that you should not use AA lithiums (not the case in the A630 or SX1, both of which I have). This is because even Energizer's lithiums have a slightly different peak voltage when fresh than do alkalines or NiMH. Some "AA Lithium" (not the Energizers) cells are actually over twice the voltage of regular AA cells and need to be used with a "dummy" cell to keep the total voltage in acceptable range. I only keep the Energizer lithiums for emergency gear or where I need long sustained power, such as in a GPS which I know the rechargeables can't keep going for a 16 hr. day, and for fallback use. For day-to-day camera and flash use I use Eneloops. They're cheaper in the long run (I have 6 flashes and 2 cameras which all require 4xAA cells each).

You have gear buying syndrome (GAS) even before you have touched your new camera. STOP! It makes absolutely no sense to buy ANYTHING before you've had a chance to use your camera, incl. the batteries. Regular batteries might do just fine - never listen to anything a sales person tells you - they are just trying to up-sell more stuff. Your sales guy was obviously full of it - who has ever heard that batteries have an effect on the lens' behavior.

5Dmaniac wrote in post #8188533
You have...GAS...

Opps, better buy some Pepto-Bismol to offset the GAS!

So, is it going to harm my SX1 to use these?

If it were going to marm my camera, would the instructions
specifically say to NOT use them?

Well, according to the user manual regular batteries
last up to 12 hours which is a long enough time for me
If those special batteries are going to damage my camera,
then I guess I'd better not use them at all.

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Just be aware that if Canon don't suggest them, there may be reasons. And Eneloops are pretty darn solid, plus you don't have to go throwing them away every 500 or so shots.

That's playback time. Not actively taking pictures. But look at the number of stills shot with alkalines vs. NiMH. That's what you'll be doing mostly, isn't it?

Yes, I'll just be doing still shots mostly....but will want to experiement
with the video deal as well...IF I can learn how to operate it.

I'll prolly stick with regular batteries. I'm not much on recharging
batteries and keeping up with all that. It's much easier to just buy
some new batteries and go.

Seriously, they only get 120 or so shots out of alkalines by letting them rest between shots. If you try taking a rapid series of a half dozen or more shots, they'll stall out. They just don't have the right discharge curve to handle digital cameras.

As this is my first post I would like to mention that the first set of batteries that I used in my SX10 is Duracell plus managed 320 shots till they died

Jon wrote in post #8188918
If you try taking a rapid series of a half dozen or more shots, they'll stall out

I think it's going to be a while before I'll be doing shooting like that, if ever.

On the other hand, we do have a gandaughter coming up that might
take up playin sports at some point...might have to look in to those
fancy re-chargables then

I'd still like to hear from somebody that is using the high end Energizers
to see if they have damaged their camera.

You'd think Cannon would build in a surge protector
to accomodate this. It ought to have one anyway
just to be safe so the internal electronics are protected.